Chapter 9

The next morning Amelia was cleaning the stalls in the barn when she heard footsteps behind her.

She quickly spins around and screams horrified when she saw Hoss. She was so scared that she falls backwards into a pile of hay.

Hoss hurries over to her and helps her up. "Sorry pumpkin I didn't mean to scare you, you alright?" asked Hoss apologetically.

"That's alright Hoss I guess I'm a little jumpy today" said Amelia brushing hay off her dress.

"I'm sorry that this had happen to you and I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you like I should've been" said Hoss.

"Hoss you have been nothing but wonderful to me. I'm glad that I have three amazing big brothers that have given me nothing but support through all this and I really appreciate it" said Amelia.

"I love you baby sister don't ever doubt that" said Hoss reassuringly. Amelia smiles and hugs him. "I love you too". Hoss beams and kisses her on the head.

He pulls away from her and grabs a rake. "C'mon I'll help you finish your chores" said Hoss.

Later that afternoon Amelia felt a little more confident and decided that she was ready to talk about the attack with her family.

She knew that it wouldn't be an easy thing for her to do but she knew that she owed it to them for their unconditional love and support. The least she could do for them in return is to tell them about the attack.

Amelia walks down the hallway from her room and hesitantly walks down the stairs to see her father and brother sitting in the living room. Ben and Adam were both reading and occasionally looked over to watch Little Joe and Hoss playing checkers and Little Joe was cheating 'as usual' thought Amelia.

"I hope I'm not intruding on anything" said Amelia was she descended from the stairs and over to them. Ben and the boys stop what they were doing and look at her astounded.

"You're never intruding darling" assured Ben. Amelia smiles relieved then looks down apprehensively that didn't go unnoticed by Ben or the boys.

"Something troubling you precious?" asked Ben curiously. "Kinda but it can wait" said Amelia cowardly. She turns around and was about to walk away but Adam gets up from his chair and gently grabs her wrist.

Amelia turns to look at his perturbed eyes. He takes her over to his chair and has her sit in it and walks over to the settee and sits on it beside Hoss.

Ben gets up and sits on the table near Amelia and looks at her with gentle encouraging look on his face. Amelia looks over at her brothers who had the same look on their faces as well.

Amelia takes a deep breath and decides to tell them. "I've decided that I want to tell you about the night I was raped" announced Amelia in a calm but shaky voice. The boys and Ben look at her in complete shock as though they were hit with a ton of bricks.

"Amelia you don't have to. The doc said that you don't have to do right away. Don't you think you need more time to heal emotionally?" asked Ben trying to assure her that she doesn't need to rush into a decision this important.

"Are you ready to talk about it? It's not an easy thing to talk about and you're still healing from the ordeal" pointed out Joe worriedly.

"Don't worry Joe. I'm stronger than you think besides I'm feeling more confident and I know I can do it" said Amelia presumptuously. Ben looks at her worriedly. "Are you sure you want to do this. There's no rush into telling us the details" said Ben.

Amelia nods and takes a deep breath. "After I went finishing and left Josh at the fork I decided to take the shortcut through the woods" began Amelia. She looks up to see the disapproval on her father's face. "I know I shouldn't have Pa but I didn't think I was doing any harm at the time" said Amelia sadly. "It's alright darling" comforted Ben.

"Sapphire heard something brushing against the bushes. I thought it was a rabbit or something. I climbed off calming her down and the next thing I knew someone grabbed me from behind and dragged me away" said Amelia trying to reframe herself from crying.

"What happen next?" asked Adam. "It was dark and I couldn't see who it was. Then he laid me on the ground he started to touch me. I tried to get him to stop but he wouldn't" said Amelia choking back sobs.

Joe's eyes started to water with tears. "You can stop honey" assured Joe. Amelia shakes her head. "It's ok Joe I'm fine I need to let this out" said Amelia. Joe nods understandingly.

"He then started to kiss me and undress me. I tried to stop him! I told him to stop to leave me alone but he started to hit me. I stop trying to stop him so I wouldn't get hit anymore and then he started to rape me. When he was done he told me that he had been watching me and that I was a beautiful girl and how he couldn't resist me. After that I think I must've blackout or something" said Amelia.

The room was silent as the men tried to take what they just heard in. they were heartbroken thinking about Amelia's ordeal. "What happen next?" asked Hoss. "Most of it is a little blurred all I remember was finding you and Adam" said Amelia.

Ben takes his daughter and sits her next to him and hugs her. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. I'm terribly sorry you had to go through that horrid ordeal" said Ben tears running down his cheeks.

"It's alright Pa I'm ok now" said Amelia. Ben pulls away from her and smiles at her proudly. "Are you sure that you're ready to tell Clem?" asked Ben.

"Yes I am Pa. if I am able to tell my family then I'm able to tell Clem. I need to tell him Pa so that creep doesn't hurt anyone else again" said Amelia.

"I'm so proud of you" said Ben hugging her again. Amelia pulls away and get up looking at her family. "Thank you all for being patient and supportive through all this. I love you all very much" said Amelia with tears in her eyes.

Adam gets up and walks over to her. "We love you too shortcake" he said as he puts his arms around her hugging her and kissing her on the head.